Low High Roundhouse
Forms designed for strength and technique.
In our classes, kata makes up a core part of our curriculum that all students learn from day one. Through the rankings, each belt will learn a different kata, with gradually increasing difficulty. Even with our guidance at class, it is especially helpful to practice these katas at home. Working on the technique of each form can help improve endurance, speed, and strength.
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Pinan Nidan
Rank Color: White and Yellow
Pinan Nidan is a beginner kata that is learned by white and yellow belts. This kata incorporates basic techniques and movements that will be expanded in later forms.
Stances Used:
- Horse Stance
Techniques Used:
- Hammer Fist
- Punch
- Middle Block
- Low Block
- High Block
- Lower Knife Hand Strike
Pinan Shodan
Rank Color: Orange
Pinan Shodan is a blue-belt kata that features a few diagonal moves while retaining a move that is performed three times in a row down the mat.
Stances Used:
- Cat Stance
- Heiko Dachi (Feet shoulder with apart)
- Fighting Stance
- Long Stance
Techniques Used:
- Middle Block (with other hand on forehead)
- Inner Middle Strike
- Hammer Fist
- Middle Block
- Front Kick
- Shuto (Knife hand block)
- Nukite (spear hand)
- Assisted Middle Block
- Low Block
- Upper Block
- Upper Block (with grab)
Pinan Sandan
Rank Color: Green
Pinan Sandan is an orange belt kata that builds on Pinan Nidan. This kata features more advanced stances and blocks such as cat stances and reinforced blocks.
Stances Used:
- Cat Stance
- Fighting Stance
- Horse Stance
- Heisoku Dachi (Feet Together Stance)
- Musubi Dachi (Heels Together, Feet apart 45 degrees)
- Back Stance
- Heiko Dachi (Feet shoulder with apart)
Techniques Used:
- Middle Block
- Double Block (one hand middle, one hand low)
- Nukite (spear hand)
- Hammer Fist
- Punch
- Elbow Block
- Back Fist
- Back Elbow
- Over Shoulder Punch
Pinan Yondan
Rank Color: Blue
Pinan Yondan is an intermediate kata learned by green belts. Imitating the previous katas by moving linearly across the mat, this kata features more complex stances and blocks.
Stances Used:
- Cat Stance
- Fighting Stance
- Heisoku Dachi (Feet Together Stance)
- Kosa Dachi [Hidden Foot (cross feet)]
Techniques Used:
- Knife Hand Block (with other hand on forehead)
- Low X-block
- Assisted Middle Block
- Hammer Fist
- Front Kick
- Elbow Strike
- Open Hand Low Block
- Neck Chop
- Back Fist
- Shuto (Knife hand block)
Pinan Godan
Rank Color: Purple
Pinan Godan demonstrates more advanced moves that feature
many complex stances and blocks. This kata has many low and
high blocks that make this harder to master.
Stances Used:
- Cat Stance
- Heisoku Dachi (Feet Together Stance)
- Fighting Stance
- Horse Stance
- Kosa Dachi [Hidden Foot (cross feet)]
- Long Stance
- Back Stance
Techniques Used:
- Middle Block
- Punch
- Assisted Middle Block - Low Block
- Low X-Block (hands closed) - Elbow Strike
- High X-Block (hands open) - Back Fist (supported by left fist)
- Hammer Fist - Jump
- Low Grab - One Hand Lower Block, Other Hand Back at 90 degrees (for Back Stance)
Ginn
Rank Color: Brown
Ginn is an advanced kata that displays many double blocks throughout with stances such as the cat stance and the horse stance.
Stances Used:
- Fighting Stance
- Back Stance
- Cat Stance
- Horse Stance
Techniques Used:
- Double Block
- One Hand Lower Block, Other Hand Back Shoulder Height at
90 degrees (for Back Stance)
- Upper Block
- Punch
- Middle Block
- Arm Break (One Hand pushing down, other pushing up)
- Double Arm Choke Break
- Front Kick
- Hammer Fist
- Face Punch
- 2 Hand Lower Block
- Face Punch
- 2 Hand Middle Block
Bassai Dai
Rank Color: Probation Black
The final kata before attaining black belt, Bassai Dai is the most
complex form, featuring many stances and techniques found
in previous katas and curriculums.
Stances Used:
- Kosa Dachi [Hidden Foot (cross feet)]
- Fighting Stance
- Zenkutsu-dachi (Fighting Stance)
- Han Zenkutsu-dachi (Shorter Fighting Stance)
- Horse Stance
- Cat Stance
- Heiko Dachi (Feet shoulder with apart)
- Heisoku Dachi (Feet Together Stance)
- Long Stance
Techniques Used:
- Assisted Back Fist
- Middle Block
- Inner Middle Block
- Leg Catch - Clothesline Strike
- Hammer Fist - Lower Block
- Punch - Cresent Kick into open hand
- Open Hand Lower Block - Elbow Strike
- Grab - Assisted Lower Block
- Palm Strike (arm break) - Double Punch Chest and Stomach Height
- Stomp (Palms face each other)
- Double Upper Block (Same Time) - Middle Block (parallel to the floor)
- Double Hammer to ribs (same Time) - Throw